Stand up paddle surfing

I was sailing around Inner Harbor, Baltimore when I saw a guy, standing on his surf board and paddling. I wasn't quite sure until I went home and discovered about this sport!
Stand up paddle (SUP) surfing, also known as Hoe he'e nalu in Hawaiian language is an emerging sport. It has an Hawaiian heritage linked to it and began as a way surfing instructors would manage their groups.
As this sport is gaining more popularity you can find local SUP lessons in your locality and also find stores which sell SUP equipment. So all you need is a Stand up paddle boat, a paddle and a wave to surf; probably not if you are a beginner ;) I'd go with the calm water first. I This is definitely going on my "wishlist".

Row the crazy boat!

Kayaking and canoeing are great activities for those who are fond of water. There is a plethora of water trails all over the US. I found a great resource of water trails in MD here.
There are different styles of kayaking depending on the challenge level you prefer and the type of water body, like; whitewater kayaking in streams or rivers with faster water current, sea kayaking in seas or coastal area, kayaking in lakes or calm water, surf kayaking which is a great adventure sport for those who would enjoy the thrill of wave-surfing on kayaks. This requires specially designed surf kayaks .
For those who take a back bench when it comes to water sports, can also go canoeing. Canoes are safer since they larger and thus there is no/negligible risk of tipping over. Although, it would be difficult to canoe against stronger water currents as they are heavier than kayaks. Canoes are generally meant for 2 or more people.
You can also do a variety of other things on the canoe like camp, have a romantic brunch, etc. I went canoeing around Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington D.C. and then went along the monuments in D.C. It is a great sight-seeing water trail and you can also park your canoe near Roosevelt Island and enjoy a nice meal or walk along a small trail. Please feel free to post about your canoeing/kayaking experience in the comments section.

Outdoor Ice Skating New York!

Winter has ended and spring is here. I missed one thing I really wanted to do this winter and that is ice skating.

I came across Rockafeller Ice skating rink and I was amazed by its grandeur. Its right on Rockafeller center, amidst the skyscrapers, in the limelight. The rink is typically open from October and stays open through early April. I went there an evening before Valentine's day and it is, without a doubt, one of the most romantic ice skating rinks. They have packages including engagement packages :) The only downside is that its small and intimate and more expensive as compared to the other ice skating rinks in New York.

Another famous rink is the Wollman rink located in Central Park. Its more affordable and a perfect place for causal skating.
The Bryant park skating rink is another famous location as it offers free admission cost. However, like most winter treats, the ice skating rink at Bryant Park is sadly short-lived. Its open from mid- November to January.

Halloween High Heel Drag Race in DC

Each year on the Tuesday before Halloween, thousands of spectators head to 17th Street, between P and S Streets near Dupont Circle to enjoy Washington's fabulously raucous High Heel Drag Race. This is one of the most wildest and colorful events in Washington DC that I have ever come across.

Around 7 p.m., more than 100 drag queens, dressed in outrageous halloween costumes like Britney Spears, Condoleezza Rice, the Washington Monument and many more, parade up and down 17th Street. The High Heel Race begins at 9 p.m. and lasts for about 15 minutes.

I wonder how I never knew about this until now. I am definitely going this year to enjoy the show. Have you ever come across this before??

You have got to check this out!

Updates for this year's National Cherry Blossom Festival

This year's National Cherry Blossom Festival is from March 29- April 13 2008.

Mark your calender for some special events for 2008:

Tidal basin paddle boats: March 29th- April 13th 9 am to 6 pm. Online reservations for 10am to noon
Fireworks: April 5th 8.30 pm to 9 pm near Southwest Waterfront
Parade: April 12th 10 am to noon on Constitution Ave.
Photo Safari- If you have a penchant for photography and don't mind getting up real early and capturing a glimpse of the sun rays filtering through the blossoms, then this one is for you addicts. You will have professional photographer to guide you, but it all comes with a $$ :)

Please add your event summary after a visit in the comments sections

Back to the 17th century -- Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg is a historic town in Williamsburg, Virginia which preserves the history from the 17th century.
It has the historic buildings from over 200 years back; the Capitol, the Governor's palace, the courthouse, taverns, Parish church, etc. There is a chain of historic buildings and sites on the Duke of Gloucester street which has the Capitol on one end and the ancient College of William and Mary on the other. You will see the local people dressed up in colonial wear who reenact various events from the ancient times like the shaving of the sheep and various such interactive events. They also have colonial Williamsburg costume rentals.
On my visit to Williamsburg, I started searching for street names and then realized that I have to travel 200 years back in time. There is a show called "The story of the Patriot" at the ticketing center which gives a lot of information about the history of America. There are Ghost tours at night!! I wonder how that would have been as I couldn't wait that long. There was a beautiful art museum having various exhibits with guns, furniture, silverware, pictures from ancient times, memories of George Washington and the Rockefeller family.
Its quite a unique experience to go back in time. I am amazed by the way they have maintained everything till date. I'm sure you'll enjoy it too.

Paddy's Day

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17th with great zeal by both Irish and non-Irish communities (UK, US, Canada, Australia) around the globe. The feast day of St. Patrick is celebrated in memory of the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. It is marked by the wearing of green color and shamrock and leprechaun designs. It is celebrated in Ireland with parades, community feasts, mass and charity shows.
Another unique thing about this day is the St. Patrick day parade which takes place is various locations like Montreal, Birmingham, Manchester, Munich. In the US the most famous locations for these parades are New York, Savannah (Georgia), Las Vegas, Seattle, etc. New York parade has become the largest parade in the world.
The Chicago river is dyed green for this festival. Also the Trafalgar Square fountains in Great Britain, where the parade took place was dyed green this year (2008).
After the day long celebrations there are long parties in Irish pubs. I saw a part of this celebration in Virginia Beach, VA in an Irish pub called Murphy's. Everyone was dressed in green and there was good music and drinks served.
So go Green and celebrate the St. Patrick's Day in Irish Style!!